1. The Field of the Invention.
The invention deals with the separation automatically of corn cobs from an improved combine.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Combines are useful in retrieving shelled corn or kernels from ears and for disposing of cobs, husks, stalks and chaff generally onto the ground. Certain types of corn feed include cobs are ground with the kernels as a roughage source. In this instance, no attempt is made during the threshing or subsequent phases of combine operation to preserve the cob in a useful shape or to prevent otherwise unacceptable bruising of the kernel since the resultant mixture of cob and shelled corn is ground and stored as silage. No thought is given to what the cob looks like.
Cobs, more particularly reduced cob segments, have been found to have uses of considerable importance which in some instances may even approach the value of the corn. For example, a cob which has been fractured into an approximately wedge shaped rod segment to expose the pit hand have a defined length less than 3 inches is useful as a growing medium, for example in mushroom culture, because of the carbohydrate content. Cobs in this form are also desirable as ornamental mulch and have found uses as non-harmful industrial abrasives and absorbents. The construction industry has also recognized that cob segments can be used as a light weight aggregate. Other uses for cob segments are as a water separator in alcohol production, a clean burning non sulphurated fuel, as a source for chemicals such as the amino acid choline, oxalic acid and xylitol. The list is extensive and grows daily.
The combine art has dealt with separation of components from the ear. U.S. Pat. No. 55,899 to Pendexter, June 26, 1866 represents much of the state of the art. More modern combines are demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,826,031 to Hansen, Mar. 11, 1958 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,957,293 to Roscoe et al, Oct. 25, 1960. Separation improvements are demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,518,302 to Gerber Aug. 8, 1950, U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,521 to Haake Sept. 29, 1981 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,019 to McBroom, July 15, 1986. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 611807 to Donovan, Oct. 4, 1898.
Corn cob crushing or reducing as a separate process after retrieval by hand gathering is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,247 to Anderson, Sept. 23, 1958. Cob segment grading to defined sizes is demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,112 to Vanderhooven et al wherein a stand alone mechanism and process for grading, sorting and reducing cob segments is described.
The retrieval of cobs directly and automatically in the field from the combine separate from the corn in usable reduced shapes for immediate use remained elusive in any practical sense until the present invention.
The realization that corn cobs have significant economic value apart from filler for feed has created a need for retrieving the cobs during threshing. In response thereto your inventor invented modifications to existing combines which not only make the retrieval of cobs automatic but reduce them in size, shape and cleanliness at the same time in condition for resale to industrial users.